CINEMANIA:

Million Dollar Baby (2004, USA, Clint Eastwood) AKA The Second Coming

Early on in Million Dollar Baby, with the smooth and rich tones of Morgan Freeman’s narration guiding us through the tale, I had an eerie feeling that I had stumbled into a sequel to Shawshank Redemption set some decades later with Tim Robbins’ character now played by Clint Eastwood and Freeman’s character miraculously having escaped the ageing process. Don’t get me wrong, because while I like the stylish and elegant Shawshank well enough--though not as well as the patrons of the Internet Movie Database, whose marks have planted the film in the top three of all time—at its essence the film simply embraces the conventions of its genre.

2046 (2004, China, Wong Kar-Wai) AKA Ain’t Love a Bitch?

Those of us who fell in love with the seductive and luscious In the Mood for Love have been waiting a loooooong time for this one, Wong Kar-Wai’s much-anticipated follow-up to perhaps the most highly-regarded film of this millennium (and if you don’t believe me, take a look at these cinephile’s lists of the best films of the 00’s).

So you may have noticed that things look a little different around here lately. I've changed the template--a change is as good as a rest, and all that--with the result being that I hafta rebuild certain aspects of the site. However, being a world-class procrastinator and Olympic-style slacker, I haven't gotten around to that yet, so you'll hafta put up with this for now.

Before proceeding with my list of the top ten films/Non-English language films/Documentaries of 2004, I just wanted to point out a new feature of me blog. If you look over at that right hand column, you'll see a new feature, My Film Diary, which--if you choose to follow that link--will allow you the dubious pleasure of keeping abreast of my movie viewing habits.

Anyways, onward and upward. Let me present to you...